Dream Weaver
by ffviifan
Summary: Tifa sacrifices herself to save Aerith. A one-shot about how it would have been if it was Tifa who died, and not Aerith. Cloti.


Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy. Duh. And I hope you like it. :) reviews?

* * *

Everything had happened so suddenly. He had lost all control and slowly he crept towards the flower seller, his sword raised over his head.

"Cloud! Cloud!" He heard his companions call.

"Cloud, what are you doing?"

He jerked to a stop. What was he doing? He lowered his sword slowly. He stood paralyzed with shock at what he had almost done.

A shadow descended upon the praying Ancient. Cloud could see the black cloak and long, silver hair.

"No!"

He felt someone push passed him. Everything he saw next was in slow motion. Tifa Lockheart, his best childhood friend, the girl he had joined SOLDIER for, ran forward and pushed Aerith out of the way. Sephiroth's sword passed through her with ease, as if it had been waiting to pierce her soft skin again. She slumped to the ground, red staining her white cut-off shirt. Her long, dark hair swirled around her face and she looked like a fallen angel.

Everything inside of Cloud broke that day. Tifa. Tifa. Tifa. He wanted to see, to smell her, to touch her, and hold her, and watch her ruby eyes light up whenever he would walk through the door. He never imagined losing her; she was so tough, so capable of taking care of herself. Everyone missed her. Many nights Cloud would find Barrett and Cid at the Seventh Heaven, wasted, eyes red from crying. Vincent was the only one who had seen Yuffie since that day, and Vincent himself hardly stopped by to say hello. Nobody talked about her if they could help it. Aerith would bring her up every once in a while, but everyone would grow quiet and cold. Aerith lived with Cloud in the bar, which he ran in honor of Tifa. Marlene and Denzel moved in with Barrett in an apartment not that far away. Neither one of them could stay in the bar; it reminded them too much of her. Most nights Cloud would sneak out of his room, silently pass Aerith's door, and have himself a late night bottle of Jack. Everyone was trying to drown their pain, their loss.

It was raining the day that Aerith found him sitting downstairs, gazing out the window, with a bottle of alcohol in hand. He remembered this day every year. It was the anniversary of the day that Cloud left Nibleheim for SOLDIER. It was the day that he promised Tifa that if she ever needed a hero, he would be there for her. Tears traced their way down his cheeks. How could he let her die? She had been everything to him. Aerith came up behind him and put her arms around his shoulders. She kissed his cheek, his neck, and slowly came to face him so she could lean in for his mouth.

"Aerith... Stop."

She continued to plant kisses on his cheeks, his forehead, his neck. He stood up.

"Aerith! Stop!"

She took a few steps backward.

"I can't.. I can't... I... love... her." Cloud stammered.

Aertith's eyes flashed with rage.

"Her? Her? You mean, Tifa? Tifa is dead, Cloud. She's dead. She's not coming back. I thought that... we... had something... you know?"

Cloud shook is head.

"I'm sorry, Aerith. I can't love you. My heart is hers."

* * *

Tears poured from her ruby eyes. They ran down her cheeks and off into the flowers below. Cloud. Hands rested soothingly on her shoulders.

"It'll be alright."

"I want to talk to him, Zack," she said.

Zack Fair stood shaking his head.

"There's no way to do that, Tifa. You can't - "

"Liar."

She brushed his hands off of her shoulders and took a few angry steps away.

"Zack, I need to... to tell him... I need to tell him that -"

"No."

Tifa sat in the flowers and watched Cloud go through his day. It broke her heart to watch her friends ghost through the day. They were all only shadows of the great people she once knew. It was when Cloud was sleeping that she got an idea. He was tossing and turning and crying out as his dream haunted him. Cloud's nightmares were the worst thing for her to witness. Suddenly, she knew she could save him from this. If she couldn't be there to wake him from his sleep and hold him while he calmed, she would get rid of the dreams all together.

"Cloud," she said out loud. "Cloud."

She watched as his body relaxed. His face lost all fear, but was replaced with sadness, a deep, painful sadness.

"Tifa...?" She heard him say.

"It's all alright, Cloud. Don't blame yourself. I'm okay. But I miss you. I miss you more than anything. Look who's hear with me, Cloud."

Zack stepped toward her.

"Zack!" Cloud exclaimed.

"Hey, man. You take care of yourself. We're watching you."

The two laughed together.

"Tifa... I'm so sorry. I should have done something. I should have stopped you. I miss you here, Tifa. We all miss you. I should have told you this before you were gone... Tifa... I... I..."

"I know, Cloud. I love you, too. I'm waiting for you, here, okay? So be good."

* * *

Cloud woke up with a smile on his face. It was the first smile in a very long time.

He never had another nightmare.


End file.
